Tap water risk to unborn babies

The Government has urged people to keep drinking tap water despite fears that chlorine levels could harm unborn babies.

Experts claim to have found a link between common birth defects, such as low birth weight and stillbirths, and the by-products from the chemicals used to treat tap water.

But despite warinings from researchers at Imperial College London, a Government committee has decided that advice to the public should not be changed.

Members of the Committee on Toxicity, an independent body which advises the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health, concluded that the evidence does not point to a risk that chlorination of tap water causes harm during pregnancy.

Small risk

'Studies have shown that even if there is a risk, it must be very small,' a spokesperson from the Department of Health said. 'The health benefits of chlorination, which prevents disease, are clear.

'Water companies already take steps to minimise the level of chlorination products in the water, and they should continue to do so. But the evidence does not support advising individuals to drink less tap water.'

Industry body Water UK, which represents the UK water companies, emphasised that suppliers adhere to strict regulations limiting the amount of chlorine.

'We have some of the best drink water in the world in this country and that is because we have these regulations in place and because we consistently meet them', a spokesman said. 'We are confident that the water that we are supplying is safe.'

The research paper has not yet been made public but according to a spokeswoman for Imperial College it has been submitted to a scientific journal for potential publication.